Creating Custom Data Generators

You can use Visual Studio Team System Database Edition to generate meaningful data for testing. By using the built-in data generators, you can generate random data, generate data from existing data sources, and control many aspects of data generation. If the functionality of the built-in generators is insufficient, you can create custom data generators. To create custom data generators, you use the classes in the Microsoft.VisualStudio.TeamSystem.Data.DataGenerator namespace.

In This Section

• An Overview of Data Generator Extensibility
  Describes how you can extend the data generation capabilities of Database Edition by creating custom data generators or by reusing the standard data generators.

• Considerations for Custom Data Generators
  Describes additional information that you might want to consider when you create a custom data generator, such as how to avoid having multiple data generators appear with the same name.

• How to: Create Custom Data Generators
  Describes the high-level process for creating custom generators.

• How to: Add Output Properties to a Data Generator
  Explains how to designate a property as an output property for a custom generator.

• How to: Add Input Properties to a Data Generator
  Explains how to designate a property as an input property for a custom generator.

• How to: Register Custom Data Generators
  Describes how to register a custom generator on your computer.

• Walkthrough: Creating a Custom Data Generator
  Provides a detailed walkthrough that demonstrates how to create a custom data generator.

• Walkthrough: Registering a Custom Data Generator
  Provides a detailed walkthrough that demonstrates how to register a custom generator.

• Walkthrough: Deploying a Custom Data Generator
  Provides a detailed walkthrough that demonstrates how to create a deployment project for a custom generator.

• Walkthrough: Creating a Custom Data Generator for a Check Constraint
  Walks you through creating a custom data generator that you can use to handle complex input. The custom data generator generates data from one of two ranges.

• Walkthrough: Creating a Custom Data Generator that Aggregates Standard Generators
  Walks you through creating a custom data generator that aggregates standard data generators. The custom data generator generates data from one of two ranges by using the standard DateTime generator.

Reference

Microsoft.VisualStudio.TeamSystem.Data.DataGenerator

Related Sections

• Using Standard Data Generators
  Contains links to topics that describe how to use the standard data generators, such as the integer, string, and regular expression generators.

• Data Generation Plans
  Contains links to topics that describe how to create data generation plans and run them to generate random data.